Rail-drain for railway-tracks.



W. FIKEN.

RAIL DRAIN FOR RAILWAY TRAGKS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 21, 1914.

1 1 1 1,889. a nted Sept. 29, 1914.

HE AORRIS PETERS (:0 PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINfl'rnIv n P UNITED sTATEs' WILLIAM FIKEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAIL-DRAIN FOR RAILWAY-TRACKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Application filed January 21, 1914. Serial No. 813,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FIKEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Drains for Railway-Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a rail drain for railwaytracks, and has for its object a sluice on which the rails are firmly mounted and by which the water is drained from the rails and conveyed into the sewers at suitable and proper locations.

A further object of my invention is to construct a railway track consisting of em bedding proper sluices which are constructed of suitable castings and properly united together; and on the same is located the rails which are firmly bolted into position. The space in the sluice between the base of the rails acts as a drain and conveys the water to suitable locations from whence it is discharged into the sewers.

Figure 1, is a cross sectional view of my invention. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the same with parts broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 3 indicates an ordinary railway rail, which isv constructed preferably of the 'T form. Each of the rails are firmlyset on webs or crossbars a, forming the upper portion of the sluice or trough 5, which is located between the rails and extends the entire length. These sluices or troughs are preferably constructed of castings consisting of a body portion 6 provided with an internal hollow portion 7, which acts as a trough or a sluice. The ends of said castings are provided with flanges S, by which each section of the sluice or trough is firmly connected together by the bolts 9. The webs 4, are located at suitable intervals apart as shown in Fig. 2, and are arranged preferably in pairs so that the bolts 10 may be inserted between the webs; the threaded end projecting through clamping plates 11, which extend from the upper edge of the casting to the upper edge of the web or base portion of the rail. And

the body portion or casting is flared inwardly as shown in Fig. 1, forming an elongated space between the upper edges and the sides of the rail base. Through this space the water which seeps down the sides of the rails is permitted to enter into the trough; and this water is permitted to escape by way of the opening 13, leading into the pipe 14, which is connected to the proper sewers, at proper locations along the sluice. The body portion is provided with projecting arms 15, which terminate into square portions 16, which rest upon side timbers 17, and are held thereon by bolts or spikes as found most preferable. And when once the rails, sluices, and timbers are properly placed, concrete may be inserted between the sluice and the timbers so as to provide and form a rigid road bed. The rails 8 which constitute the track are connected together by the usual tie rods 18, so as to properly space the same and prevent spreading.

The essential feature of my invention is to construct a railway track with proper drainage located under each rail; and so positioned that thewater is conveyed to depressions in the track, and conveyed from there to. the, sewer, ravine, or stream depending upon the location.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. A structure of the class described comprising a sluice extending the entire length of the road bed; rails of a railway track located on the same; webs formed on the top of the sluice for supporting said rails; and arms formed on the sluice and supported on timbers, substantially as specified.

2. A structure of'the class described comprising a sectional sluice; flanges provided thereon by which the sections are connected together; webs formingthe upper portion of the sluice and located at suitable distances apart, rails located on said webs, and arms formed on the sluice and connected to suitable timbers for supporting the sluice in rigid position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM FIKEN.

WVitnesses:

ALFRED C. ENKS, WALTER C. STEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

